Retaining-wall.



PATBNTED NOV. 21, 1905.

W. H. FERGUSON. RETAINING WALL. APPLICATION FILED APBJI, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IILLIAM HASTINGS FERGUSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO J OI-IN 4ALBERT FERGUSON.

RETAlNlNG-WALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Appumnnnedeprn 11, 1905. serian... 254,984.

'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to retaining walls adapted to be used for abutments for walls along coasts, banks of streams, embankments, and any other place Where it is desired to maintain earth or' other material in a permanent vertical position.

The objects of my invention are to provide a retaining-wall wherein the facing thereof will present a finished appearance, being constructed of blocks molded from concrete or other suitable material, one in which there is a substantial base and backing of concrete, also one in which the facing of blocks is prevented from buckling by means of areinforcement composed of metal rods or barsplaced horizontally and vertically and being secured to the blocks forming the facing, and one in which buttresses are provided, also constructed of blocks of concrete or other suitable material and bonded together with metal rods or bars adapted to extend into the concrete base. The buttresses are adapted to add strength and rigidity to the retaining-wall and to prevent same from overturning.

It is obvious that the above objects and also further objects,which will hereinafter appear, and bc specifically pointed out in the claims,- are attained by the construction illustrated in the drawings, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the different views thereof, and in Which- Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of my retaining-wall, showing the concrete base and backing, the blocks, the metal reinforcements, and the buttresses. Fig. 2 is a top view of same. Fig. 3 is a View thereof, showing the finished appearance derived by the use of the facing of blocks. Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation of amodiiied form. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of Fig. 4.

In more fully referring to the drawings, 10 designates blocks molded from concrete or any suitable material. These blocks have projections 11 extending from one side only thereof. The blocks 10 are laid in superposed courses to break joints, with the projections 11 disposed in the same direction, as

will be made manifest in Fig. 3, of the drawings. Hooks or eyes 12 are molded into the blocks.

13 designates a concrete base or foundation for the wall built of the blocks 10.

14 is a concrete backing.

15 designates blocks forming buttresses.

These blocks 15 are made in beveled shape,

so that the buttresses extend out the desired distance from the wall at the bottom-and slope toward the wall upwardly, as made manifest in the drawings. The blocks 15 are constructed with provisions for inserting vertical rods 16, which are adapted to extend downwardly into the concrete base 13, therefore forming a reinforcement and tie for the blocks forming the buttresses. It Will be observed that an additional reinforcement vis provided by extending the lower block into the concrete base. (Fully illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings.) Recesses 17 are provided in the projections 11 of the blocks 10, into which is laid a horizontal tie-rod 18, adapted to add' strength to the wall, and especially to the block-facing thereof. Vertical reinforcingrods 19 are placed into the eyes or hooks 12, as fully illustrated in the drawings. These vertical rods add additional reinforcement to the wall and to the facing therefor and tend to prevent buckling. It is manifest that the wall is required to stand against the lateral thrust and perpendicular weight, and by the construction herein described it is comprehensible that a wall of minimum thickness will suffice Where it is designed to retain a bank of earth or material in an upright or nearly upright position. If designed for a wall exposed to the wash of water on the outside, it will be necessary to make it of greater lthickness than when designed solely to retain earth, as aforesaid;

A somewhat-modified form is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein the facing consists of blocks without projections, in which instance the vertical reinforcing-rods are placed in eyes or hooks extending outward from the blocks a distance sufiicient to permit laying the horizontal reinforcing-rods between the vertical rods and the blocks, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The construction of the buttresses and the arrangement of the base and concrete backing in the modified form are the same as in the preferred construction illustrated in Figs, 1, 2, and 3.

IOO

In constructing my retaining-wall the base is provided and the blocks forming the facing laid up in superposed courses, the horizontal rods being laid in the joints as the wall is constructed. The vertical rods are then placed in position, the buttresses laid up, and then the concrete backing tamped into place around the projections l1 of the blocks 10, as illustrated in Fig. 2. It is manifest after the concrete has hardened that I have produced a thoroughly substantial and durable retainingwall void of all of the deficiencies which result from construction of retaining-walls herctofore invented.

I am aware that retaining-walls have been constructed of concrete and metal; but none heretofore invented have been constructed with a facingand with the strengthening facilities which comprise some of the elements of the present invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A retaining-wall comprisinga facing composed of blocks each having projections, the said blocks being laid in superposed courses to break joints with their projections disposed in the same direction, and a backing molded around the projections of said blocks and independent bonding means for said facing and backing.

2. A retaining-wall comprising afacing composed of blocks, a backing, and metal reinforcements em bedded in said backing to which said blocks adhere and forming a bond between the facing and backing, substantially as specified.

3. A retaining-wall comprising a facing composed of blocks each having projections, a backing molded around the projections of said blocks, metal reinforcing-rods embedded in said backing and bonded to the facing, and a base forming a part of said backing, substantially as specified.

4. In a retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks, the base, the backing, and the buttresses interlocked with said base and forming supports for said facing.

5. In a retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks, the concrete base ffor said facing, the concrete backing forming a part of the wall, and the buttresses composed of beveled blocks built against the facing and interlocdked with said base, substantially as specifie 6. A retaining-wall having a base, a facing of blocks laid in superposed courses, a backing for said facing forming a part of said base, metal reinforcing-'rods placed horizontally and vertically embedded in said backing and secured to the blocks forming said facing by means retained in said blocks, buttresses built against said facing bonded by means of metal rods extending into the said base, substantially as specified.

7. In a retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks each having projections the said facing forming part of the wall, the backing completing said wall composed of Ymaterial adapted to be molded around the projections of the blocks forming said facing, buttresses built against the facing of the wall and preventing the same from overturning, substantially as specified.

8. In a retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks each having projections, the said blocks laid insuperposed courses to break joints with their projections disposed in the same direction, the base extending backward under the material to be retained, and the backing forminga part of said base and bonded to said projections.

9. In a retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks each having projections, the backing for said blocks Amolded around the projections of said blocks, independent means bonding said facing to the backing and reinforcing the same, the base for said wall adapted to extend backward under the material to be retained and to form a part of thrbacking of the wall, substantially as specifie y 10. In a retaining-wall, the facing of blocks each having projections, the said blocks laid in superposed courses to break joints and having retained therein hooks or eyes, depressions provided in the projections of said blocks, horizontal tie-rods laid in said depressions, vertical tie-rods placed in said hooks or eyes, a concrete base for said facing-wall, buttresses composed of beveled blocks the lower block extending into the said concrete base and the blocks bonded with tie-rods, and the concrete backing adapted to be tamped solidly around the horizontal and vertical tierods and around the projections of the blocks forming said facing, substantially as specified.

l1. Ina retaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks each having projections, the backing for said blocks molded around the projections of said blocks, the base for said wall extending backward under the material to be retained and to form a part of the backing of the wall, the buttresses built against the said facing and to extend into and bonded to the said base, substantially as specified.

l2. In aretaining-wall, the facing composed of blocks laid in superposed courses, reinforcing-rods placed vertically in close proximity to said blocks, means retained within said blocks to secure the said rods thereto, reinforcing-rods placed in a horizontal position against the inner surfaces of said blocks, the backing for said blocks solidly molded around the said reinforcing-rod s, the base for said wall adapted to extend backward under the material to be retained and to form a part of the backing of the wall, the buttresses built against the facing of the wall to add additional rigidity thereto and to prevent same from overturning, the said buttresses extending into and IOO ISO

oided to the said base, substantially as speci- 13. In a retaining-Wall, the facing composed of bloc-ks each having projections, recesses provided in said projections longitudinally with the body portions of said blocks, the said blocks being laid in superposed courses to break joints with their projections disposed in the same direction, metal rods laid in the said recesses, reinforcing-rods placed vertically on the inner side of said facing-blocks, means retained Within said blocks to attach them to the said vertical reinforcing-rods, the backing for said blocks molded around the projections of said blocks and around the horizontal and vertical reinforcing-rods, the base for said Wall extending backward under the material to be retained and to form a part of the backing of the Wall, the buttresses composed of blocks built against the facing of said Wall, tie-rods tying the blocks of said buttresses together and to extend into the said base, substantially as specified.

14. In a retaining-Wall, the base, the facing of blocks built upon said base, the buttresses formed of beveled blocks bonded into the base, and the backing bonded to the facing, substantially as specified..

15. In a retaining-Wall, the concrete base, the facing composed of blocks each having projections, reinforcing-rods placed against the inner faces of said blocks, means retained Within said blocks for securing said reinforcing-rods to the blocks, depressions provided in the projections of said blocks, horizontal reinforcing-rods laid in said depressions, the concrete backing forming a part of said retaining-Wall, substantially as specified.

16. In a retaining-Wall, the concrete base, the concrete backing, the facing of blocks laid in superposed courses, the vertical reinforcement-rods, means retained Within said blocks for securingthem to the said vertical reinforcing-rods, horizontal reinforcing-rods laid' against the said blocks and embedded in the concrete forming the backing therefor, the buttresses composed of beveled blocks tied With reinforcing-rods adapted to prevent said Wal from overturning, substantially as specifie In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM HAS'IINGS FERGUSON. Witnesses:

OSCAR M. LAssWELL, EVELYN S. CALVERT. 

